Six young women are off to great places as they begin the coming year fulfilling a longstanding tradition along the Eastern Shore as members of the 2020 Dogwood Trail Court.

At the 60th Annual Dogwood Trail Pageant and Scholarship Program on Saturday night, Jan. 11, energetic dancing, colorful costumes and skits based on this year’s theme, “Sensational Sixties,” highlighted the participants’ creativity in the performance portion of the pageant. Thirty-four participants were scored in the categories of essay, interview, creative introduction, presence and composure and 12 finalist questions.The essay category, worth 10 percent of the composite score, was judged before the pageant by a panel of three judges.

Once the preliminary components of the program were completed, 12 finalists were chosen. The finalists randomly selected questions that were formulated by the judges' committee. The 12 finalists were Fairhope High School’s Hannah Beall, Hali Everette, Cameron Herzog, Galey McKelvain, Anna Kathryn Robitalle and Molly Walding; Daphne High School’s Anna Claire Kinsey; and from Spanish Fort High School, Ashlyn Hudson, Lila-Camille Knizley, Sheridan Middleton and Gracie Olson; and from St. Michael Catholic High School Sarah Caroline Lott.

The six young women honored with the opportunity to represent the Eastern Shore and serve a one-year term as goodwill ambassadors on the 2020 Dogwood Trail Court are Fairhope High School juniors Hannah Beall, Hali Everette and Molly Walding; representing Daphne High School, junior Anna Claire Kinsey and from Spanish Fort High School sophomore Sheridan Middleton, and junior Lila-Camille Knizley. Each court member will receive a $1,250 cash college scholarship and period costume for public appearances courtesy of the Eastern Shore Optimist Club. Coastal Alabama Community College awards an additional scholarship to one of the six court members.

The six court members join 298 alumni who have gone on to become teachers, doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, lawyers, engineers, scientists, university librarians and faculty, broadcast journalists, accountants, business owners and a former U.S. Surgeon General.

JoAnn Broadus, the Executive Director for the last 26 years, said, “The participants in this year’s program were some of the brightest, most talented and energetic young women that I have had the opportunity to work withover my tenure. We had 34 winners and we are proud of each of them.”

Other cash scholarships and awards presented during the program were as follows (unless otherwise noted, the awards were courtesy of the Dogwood Trail Program):

·$500 scholarship - Grace Noonan, St. Michael Catholic High School, for being the participant who sold the highest dollar amount for ad sales

·$500 Essay award, first place - Galey McKelvain, Fairhope High School, courtesy of the Kiwanis Club Daphne-Spanish Fort

·$250- Essay award, second place -Lila-Camille Knizley, Spanish Fort High School